Paris - the account

So. A fantastic time was had. We saw lots, ate lots, and drank lots. John was a wonderful tour guide, allowing just the right amount of time in each place, not rushing too much, and being really flexible. I also managed (and this may surprise some of you) to be completely the follower all weekend. See, see, I can do it when I want to (although that's what I did in Rome, and that nearly ended in tears because as I wasn't taking responsibility for anything, I then got very drunk! Thankfully that didn't happen in Paris!)

We got the Eurostar from Waterloo on Friday evening (I even managed to leave work on time!) and arrived in Paris about 10.30. We were both tired, so no exploring was done on the Friday night, but the hotel was in a fab location, and had air conditioning (although it left a little to be desired, it succeeded in making sure the room wasn't hot, but didn't actually manage to make it cool). After possibly the best sleep I've had in weeks, we were up and about in time for breakfast on Saturday and then into the Briden Paris TourTM. First, Foulcault's Pendulum in the Pantheon. John did try to get me to understand how it works, but I just don't. I also want to know why there's a black marble cat next to it. Then, it was on to the Ile de la Cite, in an attempt to get the best ice cream in Paris, which was foiled by the fact that the shop had closed for August - on the 29 July. Go figure... but we still had ice cream. Then we strolled past Notre Dame, and on to Saint Chapelle and the Palais du Justice. The glass in Saint Chapelle is real take-your-breath away stuff, and we spent a fair bit of time in there trying to work out the stories in each panel.

After that, we went back across the river to the Louvre. We did the 'top three' things, including the Mona Lisa (tiny, dirty, and massive crowds. The most impressive bit for me though I think was the ancient bits in the basement which were discovered when they were excavating for the creation of the pyramid.

We then went and had a rather nice steak, frites and beer lunch, and then wandered through the gardens by the Louvre to see Monet's Waterlillies in the recently re-opened Orangerie. I didn't take any photos in there, I didn't think I could do the paintings justice. John and I hatched a plan in pondering how much it would cost to have exclusive access for 20 minutes - the paintings are amazing, but I can't help but think how striking they would be without any one in there, in peace, without lots of tourists and flashing cameras.

After that, it was off to Napoleon's Tomb. Sightseeing'd out, we then retired to various bars, including rather famous one. More beers, and a very nice meal later, and our first day was complete.

Sunday bought a more relaxed day, a stroll around the Marais and Place des Vosges, and brunch. And then rain, lots and lots of rain. Which required doing what the natives do - getting more coffee, staying in the cafe, reading our books, and waiting for the rain to fade away. Which it duly did, and then before we knew it, we were speeding through the French countryside en route home (not so speedy through the Kent countryside, it's not high speed yet!)

All in all, it was a fantastic, restful and most enjoyable weekend. Thank you John. Venice next?

Pay back time

Today, I got to work at 10.30, had an hour and a half for lunch, and left at 5. Fantastic. Pay back time has started - some time to invest in me for a change, to sit back and take things easy and enjoy the summer. And get some of that stuff done that I've been putting off for months.

Oh, and to write a nice long account of Paris, which I'm working on now, and to blog a bit more, and to read, hopefully a lot more. Happy days...

Paris

Just got back from Paris. I want to put up a nice long post all about it, but John has the guidebook, and as my French is rubbish, I need it to make sure I get all the names right. And, I haven't sorted the photos yet either, and the trip deserves some illustration.

So, for now, I've fixed the bold thing on the '150 post' below for your perusal. And a much longer post on Paris will follow soon. And I'm hoping that it will be soon - things should calm down at work in August (can't believe we're in August already!) and I should therefore have a bit more time on my hands. Talking of which, I'm going to go and read my book in the bath - a rare Sunday night luxury!

OK...

So then, my technical ineptitude was such that I couldn't get the bold formatting to work. Tonight, my drunk ineptitude is such that I can't correct it. But I can assure you that I have done some of that stuff. Details in bold will follow. No, honest, they will. They really really will

150 things

As I'm struggling to find the time/insipration/inclination to be writing long posts about me on here, I thought I'd cheat a bit instead! I borrowed this from Jo (who won't be any wiser as to how I found her site since the last time I borrowed something from there, because I'm not!). The idea is that you bold the ones you've done, and then add them up...

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip on a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Got drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states (but really really want to… maybe that’ll be a New Year’s resolution sometime!)
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends (Not had, do)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken for longer than when you were in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office (I think an SU counts)
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life

Update Steve and Marty have done this too. Steve has done 67, Marty 61. John has done 96. I've done 71. Mum?

Hot

So, again, a long time between posts. I think this is partly because I've had a really busy patch, and partly because as I've been spending rather a lot of time in the company of John, he's getting my ramblings instead!

So, again, a lot has happened between posts - the highlight being Jenna and Mark's wedding (photos in the usual place), which was just fab. It was great to be in Jersey again too, especially as my mum retired this weekend... but she'll have plenty to occupy her, working out what the spies are up to! Congratulations Mum!

I can't believe that it's nearly the end of July. I've totally lost track of where the past few months have gone, but they have been, on the whole, great. August will bring many exciting things... and hopefully some substantial rest.

Yay.

More later... hopefully. I'm aiming for a proper update for you (all?!) at the beginning of August once things calm down!

Umm

So. It's been a long time since my last post. Possibly an unprecedented gap between posts since I started this blog (although I've not actually been back to check.)

A whole massive amount has happened since I last posted: A rather nice dinner at La Gavroche; a rather odd weekend helping a friend moving house; a rather lovely but odd Sunday dinner; Pirates of the Caribbean II at (quite frankly the best in London) the Electric Cinema; a rather odd but good play; and a shopping in Covent Garden; a two hour stint in a dress shop in Watford in the Saurday heat; a massive birthday celebration for Pete and Helen (photos in the usual place (although not titled, Flickr wasn't playing ball, and I was too hot and bothered to do anything about it! Soon though, there will be (hopefully humerous) titles; a rather nice hotel with a fantastic shower and bath; a birthday barbie for Rish; and then a rather strange dinner in culmination of the effort on a project on which I have been working since seeing being appointed nearly three years ago.

There's so much to say. Suffice to say for now that the said 'new influence' is rather a good influence. And I very much like spending time with you. He makes an experienced point of view into a conversation and stimulates me. I like that.

7/7

Many many many people have, I'm sure, blogged about the events which occurred one year ago today, from London, the UK, and no doubt across the world. I can't possibly compete or do justice to the poignancy and emotion conveyed in many of those posts, especially those from the direct survivors of the attacks.

My take on it is this: at this point last year, I was embroiled in some complicated situations. The beginning of July has specific memories for me, for what are in comparison insignificant personal reasons (although one them was my bro graduating, good).

On 7/7 2005, I was scared. But quickly, I became proud of being a Londoner. Proud of the way that everyone pulled together. Proud that only hours before we'd been awarded the 2012 Olympics.

Today proved that London can bounce back, albeit with increased security on display today. As we respected the 2 minute silence at work, the magnitude of the events again struck home (although some idiot rang during that time, duh!). We're strong things, us humans.

Food Frustration

Today I have food frustration. I left work really wanting fresh tuna and salad = there was no tuna in the shop, and the salad I have in the fridge is frozen. So I had salmon and asparagus pie instead = but no salad, and no frozen veg in the freezer apart from old sweetcorn = not nice.

And then, just when a nice glass of wine had re-balanced the karma, I thought I'd treat myself to the rather nice looking passionfruit creme brulee from Fru... = great, until I dropped it getting it out from under the grill and spilt it everywhere, salvaging just enough to make me realise what I was missing.

Great. Perhaps someone is trying to tell me something - perhaps I've neglected my cooking skills so much that I should just give up and eat out or get take away all the time instead!!

Anyway, I've returned from a second weekend in Jersey in a row - this time it was Jenna's hen night = photos are in the usual place. A good time was had by all, and we're now very much looking forward to the wedding!

I've also sorted out my bookshelf tonight, in an attempt to ease some of the food frustration... and it's made me realise how many books I have sitting there to read!

But, top of the list at the moment is my new Rouge Guide to Paris... where I'm very much looking forward to going at the end of July. Counting the days...!

ITEX... we survived!

Well. I've just got home from the 'ITEX weekend' in Jersey. 11 mad friends, two chaotic houses, one very very long walk, a lot of Love Bars, peanut butter sandwiches and packets of crisps, and a few bottles of beer and cider thrown in - makes for a mad, tiring, but rewarding weekend. A good time was had by all, I think (as the organiser, it's always a bit difficult to get a perspective on how things have actually gone, but I think it was all ok!).

Massive thanks go to my parents, Kelly, and Amy for putting up with the chaos and being excellent hosts. I hope tranquility has returned to your houses tonight and that we've not left anything behind or forgotten to do anything!

The walk was certainly a challenge, but we all did amazingly. Richelle and Naomi were an excellent support crew, picking us up when we dropped and getting to the later check points ahead of us to encourage us and point us in the right direction. With varying degrees of pain and injury, we managed the following:

Sally - 17 miles
Tania - 20 miles
Me and Steve D - 26.2 miles
Marty - 30 miles
Steve B and Rich - 32 miles
Helen - 35 miles
Pete - 48.1 miles

Yes, Pete did the full distance! Massive congratulations to him, and to everyone else - I think we all went further than we thought we could, and it amounts to fantastic personal achievements all round.

There are some photos in the usual place, but Rich has more (and better) which will probably appear here at some point over the next few days.

The walk also sees me having completed one of my New Years resolutions - so that's one down, and 8 to go. I had a number of fantastic birthday presents last week, but by far the most inspired and thoughtful was a collection of gifts from Na, Steve, Helen and Pete, themed on my resolutions (a Love Bar for the walk, The Godfather to read, An Affair to Remember to watch, a sleep mask, an Italian DVD, a wooden bracelet for luck on not falling over, a toy saxophone, a map of Bali, and the London by London book). Fantastic!

I am however left with some general aches, and a slightly more concerning pain in my right knee... having already damaged the ligaments in my left knee (now mostly healed) and torn the cartiledge in the now infamous frisbee incident last year, I was a bit worried about how that knee would fare on the walk - very well it seems, because that knee feels fine now. The right knee however, not so - it hurts, it much the same way as the ligament pain did in the other knee. I'm really hoping that there won't be any lasting damage and that the pain will ease off.

So, Pete, Helen, Steve, Sally, Naomi, Steve, Tania, Rich, Marty and Richelle: Same place, same time, next year...?!? ;-)

New

So, as predicted, a slow blogging week, again. My impetus for this has dwindled a bit. That's partly because I've been really busy, and this has not been a good week at work. It's also because I'm being distracted by a rather nice new influence in my life. I'm not ready to reveal all yet, but it's sure having an impact on me, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

In the meantime, for a week which includes my birthday, the forthcoming week is looking all a bit stressful!! Too much going on at work, which is adding to the stress, and then the Walk of Doom, as Steve has finally dawned on us... oh dear. I have blisters from wearing nice but painful shoes to the UHSU Ball on Friday (pictures in the usual place) - and having blisters at the beginning of a walk which is blatantly going to give me blisters is not a happy state of affairs!

Still, when I've had a go at it, at least I'll have done one of my New Years Resolutions!

Blurgh

Another sparse blogging week... and this post is not going to be a long one. Words fail me - I just can't anything down! It's been a mad and intense week, and I'm just not sure that I know how I feel about all sorts of things that have happened.

One think I do know though is that the Bon Jovi gig tonight was totally fab, so that's all good.

More later, when I have a bit more ability to work out which letters should go in front of others to form words for constructive sentences - and then I'll be making a bit more sense!

The big one

Well, it's been an unusually long time since my last post... probably because I've really not spent a great deal of time in front of the computer for various reasons (well, not this one anyway, the work one, yes) including this.

I said in my last post that life is a rollercoaster.... well, it sure is. At the moment I feel like I'm on this one currently the record holder for the faster coaster in the world. Things are constantly changing all around me, and I'm finding it a little hard to keep up. On the whole, things are exciting, stimulating and... uh, interesting. I'm feeling slightly dazed and confused, but I just need to get stuck in and get on with it.

This week has been what is supposed to be a rest week at work - a time to catch up on all the things we never have time to do usually. The only problem is, I've not really done that, because the quiet time bought out my rebellious streak, and I spent a lot of time enjoying short days and reasonable lunches... which is why I now find myself at the end of a three hour stint of work on a Sunday, with more to go before I'm ready for tomorrow. I am at least very much enjoying sitting in the garden in the sun working, rather than being stuck inside - thank god for wireless internet, again! - although the laptop is getting sunstroke...!

The show was fantastic - and very funny. It is a credit to all involved in Act2 that such a show can be pulled together without too much stress, and with a hefty dose of fun and humour along the way. I very much enjoyed mucking in with the crew and being 'one of the boys' on the production side of this one. I'm also going to take this opportunity to say that I think Marty did a fantastic job on his directorial debut - your influence on the play, and the actors, really shone through, and it is a great credit to you - so shut your noise and take the complements!

Also since my last post, I went to the England vs Barbarians rugby match at Twickenham - it was a fab match and a great day out - and then on Bank Holiday Monday I did some things I really enjoy and haven't done for ages - wandering around London, having a Harrods picnic in Hyde Park, going to a pub quiz (albeit that we weren't very good), and did some other stuff. Great. Exactly the kind of stuff I should do more often.

Life is a rollercoaster...

just gotta ride it.

Having excelled myself with my previous long post, full of information, updates and innuendo, I've exhausted my blogging insipiration for a while I think.

All sorts of complicated things going on, most of which not directly involving me, but seeing people turn to me for support - which is a nice position to be in in a way - I'm always happy to be a listening ear and be dispensing some (probably useless) advice. I can only hope that it does some good somewhere along the way...

Resolution Review

In January, I posted what amounted to 9 New Year's resolutions.

They were:

1. Learn to play the sax
2. Learn to speak Italian again
3. Watch more films
4. Try to get less injuries
5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk
6. Do as much travelling as possible
7. Get more sleep
8. Spend more time exploring London
9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Although it'’s not half way through the year yet, which would be the logical time to do this (but hey, I can'’t be logical in all aspects of my life!), it has occurred to me to review how I'm getting on with them. So, as at Saturday 20 May, roughly a bit more than a third of the way through the year, here is my progress report on each resolution so far:

1. Learn to play the sax

No action at all. Rubbish. Need to hire one to give it a try

2.Learn to speak Italian again

Also no action at all. Maybe I need to do what The Stig does when tearing cars round the Top Gear race track and listen to language tapes in the car

3. Watch more films

This one is actually going ok - see the list on the right hand side. The long plane journeys to Vegas, Marty and Richelle's crusade to improve my film knowledge, and the Naomi-originated film nights have helped!

4. Try to get less injuries

This one has actually been successful too - touch all the wood in the world! So far this year I've not had any major injuries, so far as I can remember, but do comment and correct me if you think I'm wrong! My knee is still playing up from the stupid frisbee injury (see a post about the beginning of September), especially today (see below) so that'll keep me in the feeb club for a while!

5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk

Well. There has been training going on, so that's got to be a good start! At the moment I'’m thinking that a realistic target for my '‘good attempt'’ would be halfway - 24 miles. That would still be a major achievement, so I'’d be happy with that. It's only 5 weeks away now!! Today Helen, Pete and I completed 17 miles (in just under 6 hours) and, apart from my stupid knee, not much hurts at the moment, so that's all good. Tomorrow I'll no doubt be suffering, but at the moment I feel ok, and that gives me confidence that I'll be able to make a decent attempt at the ITEX... might need a bit more training first though, and not sure where that's going to fit in!

6. Do as much traveling as possible

This one is panning out ok too. I've been to Edinburgh/ Glasgow, Las Vegas, and Aberdeen so far. I'’ve got 5 trips to Jersey, a trip to Edinburgh, a trip to Singapore, Bali and Lombok, and a trip to Canada booked. Plus a potential trip to New York and a possible trip to somewhere in Eastern Europe. And New Zealand, Fiji and San Francisco for Christmas and New Year. So I reckon I'll be able to give this one a great big tick at the end of the year!

7. Get more sleep

Hmpf. Might be better to skip this one. Given I'’ve had only 1 night where I've had more than 7 hours sleep since I got back from Vegas, I'm clearly failing miserably. If only the body and mind could actually function perfectly on four hours of sleep a night, I'’d be a happy bunny.

8. Spend more time exploring London

Really need to pay more attention to this one. I've managed to visit more restaurants and bars, but that isn't really what I had in mind when I made the resolution. I've got some exploring planned for the forthcoming bank holiday, so that will be a good start.

9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

Ho hum. So this one isn't going too well either - I've not got my up to date list here, so I'm not sure what the actual numbers are, but I have a feeling that I'm up to 52 - so not much of an increase since January! I have lots of books ready to be read, but am seriously lacking in the time to read them.

Not too bad. A further review will follow some time in the next couple of months when I get a similar sort of urge to do it - but an update on the Itex walk will follow in advance of that, as it's on 23 June.

In the meantime, I'm very much enjoying being at home on a Saturday night. I can't remember the last time I was - and I've not woken up in my own bed on a Sunday morning for 8 weeks... that sounds deliberately debauched, just for my mum! I just hope I can sleep for a substantial period of time... I'm all set, clean sheets, clean pj's, just had a bath, nice dinner and a glass of wine, plenty of exercise today... let's see what happens!

I love having the occasional night like this where I can potter round the house and not do much - and I've just had a lovely dinner (tuna, Jersey potatoes (Yay!) and roast tomatoes). Such nights remind me of Saturday nights at Uni, when everyone used to go home and leave me to my own devices. It could have been lonely, but it wasn't, because I relished having the time completely to myself, being able to do exactly what I wanted to do, and having some peace to catch up with myself.

That's exactly what I'm doing tonight - it's 'Kate time' - and it's important. I'm alone, but I'm not lonely. Such nights add balance (and much needed rest!) and I can't help but think that I need to have them more often. The trouble with that is that it would mean compromising on other things, which I don't want to do. Ho hum. Time for some dessert to help me solve that conundrum...

Champagne

Tonight I have had a fantastic night with Helen, Pete and Steve, welcoming Steve into London life. We went here and here. At the former, we had dinner next to Andrew Lloyd Webber. At the latter... notice the date of the relaunch on the link. We happened in there and found out that they were intending to be closed, but because they finished the refurbishment early, they were open, so we were one of the first to experience the new surroundings (we went there a few months ago, and the decor has changed a fair bit). But, to be honest, it's not really about the decor - it's about the view.

28 floors up, and a nearly 360 degree view of London. Amazing. Awe inspiring, and 'happy and proud to be in London' thought provoking.

And to leave you with a quote we stumbled across in the drink menu on champagne:

I drink it when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry, and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it... unless I'm thirsty.

Update: Very touching post about the evening from Steve here

Damn we're grown up

For the second time in as many weeks, I'm getting some inspiration for a post from Steve's blog (and stealing the wording of the title too). This is not good, it's got to stop. But, in the meantime, it kind of illustrates the point of this post...

Because we are grown up, in more ways than one. The title is prompted by Steve's comment on his blog describing me and accompanying a photo of me (a particularly horrendous photo, but he will be correcting that on threat of death - won't you Steve?!?) in a post about his birthday celebrations on Friday - which were really good. And mean he's a year older, so he is grown up in that sense, but he actually means something slightly different.

It's taken Steve and I a lot of time and effort to get to the stage of friendship and understanding which we enjoy now. When we spilt up (for he is my ex, just in case you don't know that) we were forced to deal with everything pretty quickly for a variety of reasons, and I firmly believe that forced us into establishing a strong and determined friendship. Had we not had that push, I'm not sure what would have happened. Maybe we would have worked things out to the stage they are at now anyway, but it would probably have been a whole lot harder and more complicated.

I'm very proud of us. We've built a strong and supportive friendship, although a lot of people don't understand how we have. I'm not sure I do all the time either, but I don't really care to analyse it too much, because it works, and that's what's important.

I've had another experience recently where I've had to draw on that kind of strength. I've learnt the true value of being open and honest with each other, of being realistic about your own strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly I've learnt that a sensible approach to things can ensure that people don't get hurt. Oh, and I've learnt the value of rhythm too.

Strong and lasting friendships are built on the basis of being sensible, honest and grown up.

Pictures from the weekend and various other recent things are in the usual place: here.

My 100th post

It might be a long one, it might not. The words in my head have not been forming themselves into bloggable sentences for some time now, hence the short and punchy postings.

When I started this blog back in August, I wasn’t really sure how long I’d keep it up, especially when, although I could access it for a while, my access from work was blocked. That was probably a very good thing, because it means that I can’t come on Blogger and unleash my frustration in the middle of the day. But it also means that I can only blog in the evenings and at the weekends – and this has the effect that the majority of my postings are affected by alcohol. I’m assured by those who are bearing with me and are still reading (although there's not been any comments for a while, so they may not still be with me!) that this makes my blog interesting to read, especially when they know I’ve been on a night out and can log on in the morning and see what I’ve been rambling in the small drunk hours of the morning.

I might also therefore be giving the impression that I drink a lot. On balance, I certainly drink more now than I did a few years ago. But my circumstances are completely different – I have a different job, different flat, different friends and a different relationship situation. This has an impact. My job falls into the ‘work hard play hard’ category, and if I couldn’t sustain a fulfilling social life, I don’t think I’d be able to manage the work. I need to get out and do normal things with friends in the evenings and weekends to add some perspective to my life. There are often massive contrasts, such as a few weeks ago when I was at a black tie dinner with some big big big wigs on a Monday night, and the Act2 gang were at karaoke at a formerly dodgy pub in our student town. Weird – but good.

I love that kind of contrast, and I also love my job. I think however that the time is nearly here for me to have a month off the booze. I did that last year, and the year before that, and it made a big difference. Trouble is, when I’ve done it before, it’s been in the winter, and it seems easier then somehow – now that we’re into May, the evenings are lighter, beer gardens are open, there are BBQ’s, and we’re into ‘birthday season’. Maybe I should aim to do what I vowed in Vegas instead (whilst battling a grade 10 hangover) – never to drink so much that I get a hangover.

The slight problem with that is that my hangovers are a bit unpredictable – I can get a shocker from three and a half pints of beer one time, and then the next time I’m completely fine. So I’m not sure that’s going to work either… but I really should pay attention to being a bit more sensible.

So, summer is here. I love summer. I’m very much more a summer person than a winter person. As I sit here on the balcony at 9pm, the sun is setting over the city, I’m having a glass of wine (oopss; see above!) and thinking that the feeling I had at the BBQ on Wednesday that good times and things are ahead is still here. I like it. On the whole, I love my life. I’m in a happy place, and I like it.

I’ve also done one of my favorite things tonight – cooked myself dinner. That might sound like a run of the mill chore-like thing to do to some, but actually I love cooking, and find it very relaxing. Trouble is, it’s not really very compatible with the aforementioned work-hard-play-hard lifestyle, and I don't therefore get to do it very much, and it's great when I do. Most people take eating at home for granted. Another one of those contrasts eh…

Those contrasts which are part of my life, and they add to it – I embrace them and make the most of them.

So, a long post. A varied post. The 100th post. I’m not sure that I’ve done that significant landmark in my blogging history justice, but at least there are coherent sentences, and not too much alcohol influence.

Onwards, to the weekend. Looking forward to it, and it should be comparatively relaxing compared to the past few. Perhaps apart from the 18 mile walk on Sunday – eek!

Number 99

There are (finally) Vegas pictures here.

There are also no sensible words forming themselves into sentences in my head, so this will be a short post.

Steve has posted about last night - it was really a very good night, and I too have a feeling that it marked the beginning of something good.

The next post will be my 100th, so I'm going to save my effort for that!

Exhausted, but happy

So much has happened this week that I just can't condense it into anything sensible, not least because I'm totally exhausted and I ache all over.

It's been an eventful week, finished off with a fantastic weekend... and I'll leave it there for now.

Pictures from Andy and Lyndsay's wedding, which was just perfect, and very special, are in the usual place.

Pictures from Vegas should be there on Wednesday once I have Helen's and we therefore have a full set.

Sleep for me now, much needed!!

So much I could say...

There's so much I could say about tonight, but I can't. Work confidentiality and all that, don't want to get Dooced!

Also, Blogger wasn't working when I logged on, so most of the drunkeness which would normally be here, is actually here on t the messageboard. Hee hee.

Run Pete Run

Collapsed on the sofa feeling guilty. Spent today watching Pete run the London Marathon, which he did spectacularly well, despite the rain. Apart from now I'm really tired, which is rubbish, because all we did was wander round London a bit, he ran 26 and a bit miles, so I have no justification for being cream crackered!

Anyway, I've had a lovely weekend hanging out with the boys (mainly, joined by Tania and Helen and Pete's family for some welcome female company). Thank you boys. I'm enjoying a rest from the testosterone now though!

So, on to facing the week ahead... having just bought an EXTREMELY expensive dress for a black tie dinner tomorrow, I'm hoping that that will make me feel good for the start of a week about which I am feeling very apprehensive for all sorts of different (and kind of complicated) reasons.

Still, I have a wedding to look forward to, in Aberdeen, on Saturday. It's going to be great, a gang of my old Uni housemates back together again. So very much looking forward to that. Just got to get through the week first...!

(PS photos from Vegas still being prepared and exchanged between us girlies... more soon)

Viva Las Vegas

Well, it's Wednesday. I'm back. I have a touch of jetlag, a large dose of the post holiday blues, and the very slightest hint of a tan.

I was due to report back two decisions and some photos. To take the easiest first - there are photos, lots of them, but it's going to take some time to sort them out. Also, Na, Helen and I will be compiling all our photos in to one set for here. So, they'll be there in a few days. There are a couple at the bottom of this post to whet your appetite though...

As to the decisions: Na, Helen and the cocktails were helpful. I've decided that on the professional one, my philosophy is 'you've got to be in it to win it', so I'm going to chuck in an application and see what happens. That might be slightly easier said than done given the deadline is the 30th April, but we'll see. A concentrated effort at the weekend and some point next week should do it.

On the personal one, well, that's perhaps not so straightforward, but the philosophy is probably the same. One of the (many) films I watched on the plane(s) had a great line in it: "Who cares if you get in a mess in your life. At least you know you're living it then."

The photos:

Decisions, decisions

So. Work is slightly better, if only because it's the end of term, and of course because Vegas is 35 hours or something away. Thank God. I can't wait. It really has been a hell of a couple of months, and I'm very much in need of a rest, mainly from work, but generally too. And Vegas seems to offer the best solution - pool and spa time by day, and then food, drink and partying by night. Wicked.

I'm also planning to give myself some 'clear thinking' time... time away from work, people, all sorts of other things. I need to make two decisions. The first is related to work, it's a professional decision about whether to continue pursuing something I've been trying for for a long time, or whether to give it up and stick with what I'm doing now, and am apparently good at. A difficult choice, and a major decision to take. It will affect the rest of my career for the rest of my life. I've always been career motivated and ambitious, so it's a major life decision, it's not just about 'work'.

The second is related to me, it's a personal decision about whether to take the plunge and attempt to resolve something which has been bugging me for a long time. It might have a major effect on me, but if it all goes wrong, I'd hope that it would be solvable and I could move on just fine.

Hmph. I think that all of this is going to be very much aided by a number of tasty (but probably expensive) cocktails and a bit of girly bonding time.

Photos will no doubt result from the trip too, there's not been any for a while. Not sure why that is.

So, check back here next Wednesday for (a) two decisions and (b) photos

Getting stronger

I've had an utterly horrible few days at work, but things are improving. I can honestly say that I was more angry (that deep down, burning incessant but somehow calm anger) than I have ever been on Monday. I had to isolate myself and not talk to anyone for a good few hours, and then my poor Mum took the brunt of it (thanks Mum ;-) and thanks also to those who took my MSN ranting!). I've calmed down now, and all is well, but I won't forget how I was made to feel. All becuase of one man... I can only go so far in describing things on here, but some of you know what I mean and the situation to which I am referring (and those who don't can be explained too off line).

But, the bottom line is that I'm bigger and stronger than that. He'll fall on his sword eventually! I honestly believe that such experiences can only make you stronger. My boss said to me on Tuesday that she couldn't understand how I'd survived without losing my temper. And I'm not sure that I can either. But then there have been a few situations in my recent-ish past where I've felt like that. I'm not sure how it's ok, but it is. I've made it. I'm a strong and resilient person. I'm willing to learn from my mistakes and reflect on the situations in which I have become involved and then move on.

Steve's blog struck a chord with me today - his title is "Somedays I love being me". And, well, I'm going to steal that philosophy. Somedays I love being me. When I was standing on the balcony about ten minutes ago, drinking a(n unnecessary extra) glass of wine, looking at the stars, and absorbing the natural calm of the river, I thought, yeah, I love being me. And not only that, I'm proud of me.

It's not often that I'm proud of me. I'm a self critical kind of person (although I'm aware I might not always come across like that) but just sometimes I give myself reason to be proud. And I think I have this week. And I'm going to carry that with me. It makes me stronger.

Gazing

I've been sitting here gazing at the screen for some time now. An awful lot has happened since I last blogged, some good, some bad, some indifferent. And I just can't work out a way to get it all onto paper (well, keyboard) and make sense of it all. So I'm not going to.

Suffice to say that I've had a great weekend doing normal things with normal people... well pehaps not so normal on balance, but I love them all the same! Thanks for entertaining me guys and girls xxx

one way street

Constantly heading up a one way street.
The flow is going the other way.
The prevailing sensible choice is going the other way.

But somehow you keep on going, against the tide. Hit it headlong and like a bull at a gate, and the force of everyone else will throw you back, like surf breakers on a beach.

Make your way, gently, slowly, building confidence as you go, bringing people on board gradually so that they understand what you want, and why you want it, and that, even if they can’t understand, they can see that you desire it so much that you’re going to carry on regardless. Eventually, you’ll get to the top. Won’t you?

The top, where it’s busier, the traffic is flowing in both directions, but despite that, there is a natural sense of harmony. Everything just feels right some how.

But, when you’re still on the one way street, there’s something missing. A glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel, the much needed sense of tranquil calm and satisfaction which the top promises is enough to spur you on.

A hint, a touch, a kind word. It’s enough.

Wipe out

I am shattered... just finished my second 14+ hour day in a row, and I'm set for another one tomorrow too.

I'm counting down the days... 8 working days until it all changes, and therefore hopefully improves (although it's a shallow hope, I think it'll just be different rather than better)... and 22 days until Vegas. I've not quite gone to the extreme of working out the amount of working hours left to go yet, but give me time!

Wireless

I'm beginning this post thinking it will be a long one, but let's see what happens...

I'm currently sitting on the sofa, drinking wine and watching West Wing. A regular Saturday night in then... albeit that I've not actually done this for longer than I can pin point to remember. My Saturday nights are usually spent in various places not involving being at home, so it's quite refreshing to be here. I feel like I'm catching up with myself. I was originally planning to spend this weekend seeking the assistance of Marty to wash, t-cut and polish my old car, ready for it to be sold, but he's visiting parents... so I've diverted to a favourite pastime... painting!!! We're having a red wall in the lounge, and a nice cream colour in the bathroom, probably with a Griffiths original painting on one wall.

I love painting and decorating. Sad huh... but, there's something very theraputic about spending a few hours making a radical transformation to something and then assessing the effect at the end of the day, and for however long it lasts into the future, until you decide to change it again! Whilst I would most love to be decorating my very own flat/house, I'm content for now to be helping Stephen out.

As I said, I'm currently in the lounge... very much enjoying my new laptop with the cool wireless technology. I've got this and my old desktop linked so that I can access everything from both... and I was even able to have MSN conversations from the bathroom earlier - whilst I was painting, rather than doing anything else!

It has, as usual, been a big, bad, mad week at work. But, I'm counting down the days, firstly to the end of March (10 working days), when everything changes, and secondly to the 13 April, when I, along with Na and Helen, will be Vegas bound! Can't wait. The high point from this week though was that my manager managed to get some feedback about me out of the big boss. Who, apparently, although I think this makes him certifiable, thinks I'm exceptional, performing astonishingly well, tackling difficult issues which no one has ever taken on before, and he can't think of anything negative at all.

I was quite literally gobsmacked and speechless, which as anyone who reads this knows (as does my manager), is a very rare thing. A pretty good way to end the week though, and a very good boost at a difficult time.

In celebration, I toasted Tim's birthday with a number of these. They are passionfruit beer, from a rather good Belgian bar called the Dovetail in Clerkenwell, which has the biggest range of Belgian beers in London, including the rather amazing passionfruit one in the picture. Had I not been totally knackered from the night before, many many more of those would have been consumed!

And, the final paragraph. My last post was rather emotional... and rather jumbled up and confused. I was also in danger of revealling rather more than would have been sensible about some of my inner most thoughts... and I remain very thankful today that I didn't.

Normal service is resumed.

Take a look at me now

You're the only one....

We've shared the laughter and the pain, we've shared the tears.

There's so much I need to say to you, so many reasons why.

Ahem.

Just spent a fab girly night in... with my male flatmate. Steak and chips and red wine for dinner, finished off with plenty of red wine, Baileys, and season 1 of Cold Feet. It's been emotional. He's split up with his girlfriend, and there was nothing for it but a good girly cure all session. He's gone to bed much happier, which leads me to conclude that girly treatment can work for boys too.

And, above all, it proves that girls are not, contrary to the opinions of some, evil.

Hasta la vista baby... hasta luego amigos

Yum

Managed to escape from work at a reasonable time today, so have just cooked myself this:



Totally yummy. One of my favourite meals ever... and the best thing is that it involves using a glass of wine to flavour the rice, so what's a girl to do but drink the rest!

Obsessive

I’ve been thinking about this post for a while, and have been prompted to put it up today by an incident with coasters on a coffee table…

We have laughed for some time about Marty’s obsessive compulsive disorder-esque obsession with having the remote controls neatly lined up on the coffee table… so much so that he once gathered four remotes from completely different places in my lounge and left them lined up on the sofa for me! The portable phone must always be on the stand in their house too (unless it’s in use of course), and today I learnt that the coasters must be in the four corners of the coffee table.

Others have similar obsessions too… Richelle can’t bear the toilet roll being on the wrong way round, or sunlight breaking through curtains in the morning, Steve can’t bear wearing crinkled shirts and must squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom (not to mention the fact that he can’t bear polystyrene and cotton wool) and Rich must have the rug at the bottom of his bed straight…

I think my equivalent oddities are that when I’m reading a book, I always turn over the corner of the page at the mid point, and when I’m at work, I always have to have my bottle of water in exactly the same place on my desk, no matter how cluttered it is.

I think the second one is partly to stop me from knocking it over and ruining all my papers though!

We’re all odd.

Normal

Wellllllll........ after a truly horrendous and amazingly complicated week, this week has at least started off a bit better, and I'm hoping (very much) that it's going to stay that way.

Had a very good weekend doing nothing very interesting, including recovering from a stomach bug which gave me the most delirious dreams ever... like changing the time and stopping the Home Secretary from doing a speech... WHAT?!

Also had some fun on Saturday night (photos on Flickr as usual). But actually, the best thing about the weekend was that I did normal things, like washing, ironing, cleaning, sleeping, going out for a walk... you know, all the kind of stuff you take for granted, at least until you come close to losing your possibly already a bit fragile grip on all the balls in the air, and then the boring stuff becomes the most important stuff in the world, because it's normal. And being normal is good. I realise now that I was probably very close to breaking point last week (well, I was closest at 3.30am on Friday morning when I was convinced that I was never going to feel well again, and that I was also never going to be able to sleep again!), and I'm kind of glad in a way that I had the bug, because it forced me to stop and sort myself out. I just hope things don't get that bad again. I don't think they will, but well, you just can never really tell in this job.

Still, on reflection, I love my job, and I love my life, and everyone and everything in it. And I utterly value my friends and my guiding lights in getting me through and allowing me to be me, offering encouragement, support, comment, constructive critism and praise at the right time. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, thank you all.

Big hug x

Hollow

So, it's a Moeker gig night, and I'm not unleashing a drunken post into cyberspace... something a bit wrong there. I think it must be a combination of a few things: the fact that they were on stage at 8.15, so there was no warm up drinking time; the fact that I'd double booked myself and had to leave straight afterwards; the fact that it's totally completely freezing outside; and the fact that, despite having had both beer and wine, neither appear to have had much of an effect on me.

Talking of the cold, does anyone know whether it's possible for headphones (or possibly (and more expensively) I-Pods) to freeze? Mine was doing seriously odd things on the way home,

I've had a truly horrible day at work dealing with some really shitty issues, and culminating in upsetting a very good friend. I was dealing with the situation to the best of my ability. Today I learnt that sometimes your best just isn't good enough.

But, I did have an excellent weekend in Scotland. Apart from the losing the rugbt and the utterley completely horrendous hangover on Sunday (which was still around yesterday) that is.

A pic, as we've not had one for a while:



And another, of the Scottish drinking gang:



Time for bed.

Words

This very cool website created this (found here - it's a pictorial representation of the words found most often in my blog entries.

Interesting.

I've exhausted my blog inspiration (probably for the rest of the month) on the previous post, so I don't have anything deep and meaningful to add today. My thoughts are dominated by something deep and painful - an ear infection. Sob.

Moments

I've been thinking today about the nature of 'moments' of memory. I think what I mean is best described as those snippets of memory which suddenly come back to you when you're in the middle of something, and they have a persuasive effect of distracting you. They happen to me in meetings, when I'm reading, and of course most often at random (and usually inconvenient) times when I'm supposed to be concentrating at work.

They come in different forms. Sometimes they make me chuckle as I remember a comedy moment (the foam ceiling springs to mind here), or they are touching. Perhaps the most distracting ones are the ones which are fixating. They are often recalling the briefest of moments - possibly the moments which I wanted to last longer, or I think I could have handled differently... or I wonder 'what would have happened next if...?'. Those times where there is perhaps just a millisecond of something, and it leaves you wondering what it means.

No point wondering 'what if' though eh. Sometimes I have to remind myself that there will be a lot more 'moments' to be created and then recalled, and they all add to the catalogue. Of course there are some which would be best forgotten, either because they are cringeworthy, embarrassing, or just really don't deserve to be recalled. And of course, these are the ones which come back to haunt me at the most inappropriate times... but I can usually block them out. It's the 'brief moment' ones which stay around... sometimes the tiniest snippets of recollection play on my mind the most. I find myself rehearsing them over and over.

Sometimes I wish I had a thought stick or a dream collector which works on day time thoughts (I'm thinking BFG by Roald Dahl here). I could just get rid of them... or find somewhere to store them until I want to reflect - or until things have changed so much that they paint a different part of the story.

Anyhow, on that note, I'm in five-hours-sleep-a-night-mode at the moment, so tis time for bed. I am trying to make the most of the few hours, and reading for a bit before I go to bed to calm my mind for some serious sleeping. Driving to work does make things much better though - and the sense of victory I feel when arriving at work at 6.59 and therefore avoiding the congestion charge is disproportionately good.

There should be pictures of the car, but as it rained for most of the weekend, there aren't any. In fact, there's been an absence of pictures of late. Must rectify that in Scotland this week - although I fear the quality won't be that high!

Oh yes

The car is all mine. And it's very cool and very fast.

And now I have more beer.

Oh yes.

Skunk

So. Today I'm not so sober. A rather nice few beers after work has much improved my mood, especially as they were with good company (although I'm never with bad company really!) in a very nice quiet setting where we had table service and were really able to chill out. It's been a hard week that's for sure, and I'm very much looking forward to having a good weekend (including getting the new car of course!)

I did have one of those 'I love living in London' moments on the way home, when I saw my building all lit up and being used for an event, which has also helped to improve my mood. And now Sliding Doors, which is a fab movie (which in my usual style I've seen loads and loads of times) is on the tv, so that helps too.

I think actually that if I redistributed my film watching I'd have watched a lot more - I've watched a few films a lot of times, rather than a lot of films. Still, it's film night at No 28 tomorrow, so that will add some new ones to my list. And they will be accompanied by pie, rice pudding and beer. Sounds like a good way to spend a Saturday night to me.

Eek

Well. The balls are still falling, but at least I haven't tripped over any yet and had a disaster. I've learnt recently that the best approach to my work is to be solution focused (which is interesting given that I have had some interesting theories on being solution focused in personal situations in the past - some of you know what I mean!) - but at the moment I just can't see the solution. It's not even as if we've identified the solution but just can't reach it - we simply can't think of it!

Anyway, I had a happy moment today when I realised (albeit slightly inappropriately in the middle of a meeting!) that it was 5pm and still light - that means the days are getting longer and summer is getting closer, which is a very good thing.

Balls

I'm dropping some. At work, that is. Usually I can just about keep them all in the air, but they are all falling down around me...

and usually I can cope ok with the stress, but today I had a weird panic attack type thingy - and had to take myself off somewhere quiet to calm down. My boss calls it mid-term-itis. Trouble is, I've only just got over the beginning of term-itis, and then it'll be the end of term-itis... but then at least it will be time for Vegas and some proper real life relaxation.

But hey, I'm ok - I always am.

Mine. Mine. Mine

It's mine. Well, at least it will be once I've collected it on Saturday, and providing that everything doesn't go completely wrong in the meantime that is!

My blogging inspiration is running low again at the moment, have hit a difficult time at work again and that's kind of absorbing me at the moment. More once I have some booze no doubt!

Maybe Cooper S...

Most of my weekend has been dominated by thinking about buying a new car... and I've much umming, ahhing, deliberating, advice taking and calculating, I have concluded that, subject to a successful chat to the dealer tomorrow, by Saturday I should be the proud owner of this:



Shiny.

P. B. 4

Moeker gig tonight. And we know what that means... oh yes indeedy, I'm drunk.

There's been a history on this blog of drunk post-Moeker gig postings, and I thought, what the hell, might as well keep up the tradition. I worked out today that I've not missed a London Moeker gig since November 2004, (the only one I've missed was the Horn in St Albans in August last year, and that was because I was in Jersey), and as I now have a signed copy of the album, I think that might just make me a dedicated follower. Oh dear. I think only Steve B has a better attendance record than me, and that's only because he made the Horn gig when I didn't.

We had great renditions of Walking in Circles, Transmission and Third, but felt slightly cheated by the lack of Unlucky AND Breaking You.

So, Moeker, next time, you're dedicated followers are putting in a plea for at least one or the other, but preferably both. Thanks muchly.

WFH

Today I've been attempting to work from home, to have a bit of peace and to get stuck in to some work without having to travel in, because the big boss is away, and because I need some quiet time.

I did pretty much stock up on that yesterday though, as I spent most of the day in bed, and didn't get out of my pj's all day! Very much enjoyed Sally's birthday do on Saturday night (of which more here and here and pictures here). A good time was had by all, and Sally particularly liked the cream. Hee hee.

Can't believe we're in February already! I also can't believe that I now have four weddings this year (April, July, August and September). Who's going to get married in May and in June so that I can have one a month all summer... eh, come on...?!

Run out

I've run out of blog inspiration, again!

It must be the lack of booze I think.

A pic though, from a walk around Docklands at the weekend:



and more inspired blogging to follow soon, promise!

Yeehaa... I'm back.

Two bottles of wine and a packet of crisps.

And yes, it's Monday.

And yes, I'm going to have a hangover tomorrow.

And yes, I did just fall asleep on the DLR and had to change at Cutty Sark to get back on the right side of the river.

But still, I had Moeker to accompany me home, so what more could a girl want....

Relaxing

Have found myself some relaxing time... although it did mean letting Na down and missing the first film night, which I'm not happy about, but I was in desperate need of doing some washing.

Anyway, have had some hilarious moments this weekend, Friday night was a cracker, with Marty and Rish. And don't worry, it's all Secret ;-)

Had a fab time at Pete and Helen's housewarming on Saturday too, and then a most relaxing walk in the fresh air of Trent Park today. And then of course the long drive home - but even that was ok because I managed to get in the slip stream of a fast BMW and cruise most of the way home following him! And there was the most beautiful sunset, but of course I couldn't get any photos because I was driving.

And I decided on balance that the pink all over was a bit too much, and have gone for a hybrid pink/purple look instead. Any thoughts?

Vegas Baby

Na and I booked to go to Las Vegas for Easter weekend on Monday - and now I'm very very excited. So, imagine my glee when I realised that Ocean's Eleven is on ITV tonight... as it featured very heavily the Bellagio, which just happens to be where we're staying!

So, I'm watching it right now, with a big bowl of Ben and Jerrys and a big bowl of ice cream, having just finished a steak and dauphinoise potato dinner... perfect. Apart, that is, from the fact that I'm still working.

Generally, I see my job as a challenge, and encompass the long hours as part of that. It has however been just that little bit on the silly side recently, and I can only hope that once I've got a major event out of the way next week, things will be on the whole calmer... hopefully.

Bring on the Bellagio. Great pic of the fountains here.

And yes, the Blog has gone pink. Fancied a change for the new year, but I don't actually want it this pink - will play with the colours at some point. What do you think - too pink? Should it stay, should it go?? Annoyingly though I forgot to save the code for the template for the bits down the side, so it'll take me some time to get that back too.

Seeds

Have had a great 'late Christmas' weekend with the girlies, just what I needed at the end of a hard week. My liver isn't too amused with me now though! Will need to give it a rest for a bit I think - well, until next Friday anyway!

There will be some photos, but I can't get them from camera to computer at the moment for some reason... so more soon!

Happy looking at the lights

Naomi is currently passed out on my bed. But given it's 6'6" I reckon they'll be room for me.
She's currently trying to work out how the pretty lights from Habitat are staying on the wall. I've tried to explain it's about the nails, but she's not getting it, and is in fact now snoring in time with Stephen. That cannot be good.

Lost

2005 has gone, and with it seems to have gone my creative blog ablility, I just can't think of anything interesting/funny/thoughtful to write. Although I have just got home from work after 10pm for the fourth night in a row, so that might have something to do with it!

I'm sure my inspiration will come back. In the meantime, you can have a laugh by checking out new photos here and a wonderful story about a pigeon here.

Oh, and the only newsworthy thing I can think of is that one of my best mates got engaged on New Year's Eve, and I'm going to be head bridesmaid at the wedding on 30th September. Cool.

Fabulous

Someone told me today that they think I'm doing a fabulous job in my new role. I'm not so convinced. But, I am happy to accept an opinion which I trust. Most of the time I rely on instinct, intuition, and a little bit of luck, and it seems to be standing me in good stead so far!

Anyway, tonight I have been here and here with Richelle. Just because it's Friday. I love Fridays. And the best thing is, I can have a big fat lie in tomorrow. Yeah Baby!

Que?

Usually I would resist commenting on such things, but I just can't hold this one back...

George Galloway on Celebrity Big Brother... WTF!?!

Oopps, and another...

9. Complete the BBC Big Read Top 100 book list (which I've already been attempting for the past two years, I'm 45 books in!)

And another...

8. Spend more time exploring London

An actual list

I've reflected on the new year's resolution thing since yesterday, and I think I actually have enough to make a list...

1. Learn to play the sax
2. Learn to speak Italian again
3. Watch more films
4. Try to get less injuries
5. Make a good attempt at the ITEX walk
6. Do as much travelling as possible
7. Get more sleep

Seven seems a nice number. And I think there is a good chance that I'll be able to have a good go at all of them - come back on the 31st December to find out how I've done!

Happy New Year!

So, welcome to 2006!

This was going to be a long post, peppered with pictures from my Flickr site of our wonderful weekend in Cornwall... but I've typed it out twice, and lost it twice, once due to my incompetence, and once due to Blogger misbehaving! So, I've kinda lost enthusiasm for it now!

However, there are lots of pics on Flick (link on the left, the pretty link technology code doesn't want to work today either!).

I had a truly fantastic weekend and a wonderful new year - thank you, Steve, Steve, Alex, Marty, Richelle, Sally, and Naomi, but especially thank you to Helen and Pete, for coming up with the idea in the first place, and for sharing their special bolt hole with us.

I hope that 2006 and brings lots of fun, merriment and good times.

I've decided (with the help of Steve D, hee hee) that my new year's resolution will be to start learning to play the saxophone. Just got to get one now!

Also, I'm going to watch more films, and try to get less feebish injuries!

Chilled

So, I'm about to leave Jersey for a quick visit to London (and work) and then off again to Cornwall - weather permitting that is!!

I've blogged before about being in Jersey, leaving it, and my confusion about having two homes, and all that applies again. Apart from last time, it was warm and sunny, and now, it's wet and cold.

Still, I'm very much looking forward to New Year in Cornwall. Where I'll cook up some fantastic new year's resolutions and then post them on here to amuse you all!

Oh I do love to be beside the sea side...

Happy Boxing Day. I hope all (few) of my readers have had a good Christmas and that you are looking forward to an excellent new year.

December has been a slightly philosophical blogging month for me, perhaps not conveying the joys and highlights of the festive month as much as I should have done, and concentrating on the stresses and traumas too much!

Ah well. A post on my new year's resolutions for 2006 will follow. In the meantime, I've had a great and relaxing Christmas, although it has taken me a long time to wind down!

Instinct

Mad, bad, busy week...

Happy that I've been out three times drinking and not had a single hangover, but my week has been very dominated by work, and there's a whole lot more of that to come!

I can't think of a useful and entertaining blog entry, so I'm going to stop now. I am going to leave you with a few pictures though. I've seen a few cats this weekend, and they were all in a photogenic mood...









and finally, as I'm starting to feel just a tiny bit Christmassy...



More on Flickr, as usual

White Tie And Cognac

Sometimes I wonder how I ended up here. I have a great job that I truly enjoy, despite the traumas, and sometimes I end up in the most fantastic situations at the most fantastic events and thank my lucky stars that I am where I am. If the 18 year old me could have had an insight in to where I would be now, she would be truly shocked.

Geekery

Thanks to Ginger Rich I've added a bit of geekery here, including a site meter (hidden right at the bottom of the page) and the very cool Flickr flash badge, which shows off a nice selection of my fab (and usually drunken) photos.

Nice

Cheers Rich. I'll buy you an ice cream sometime ;-)

Seven

Seven lists of seven things...

I found this here. Jo would probably be puzzled about how I came to find her site, and I’m not sure either, but I’ve been reading it for a while and find it very interesting…

So:

Seven things to do before I die

1. Buy a house
2. Get a Masters
3. Visit Madagascar and/or Mauritius
4. Spend at least 6 weeks travelling in America
5. Have children
6. Complete the ITEX walk
7. Learn to scuba dive

Seven things I cannot do

1. Dance
2. Play a musical instrument (although I am still vowing to learn to play the sax)
3. Sing
4. Play any sport which involves balls
5. Touch my toes
6. Jump and tap my heels together a la Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz
7. Drink whiskey, tequila or Aftershock without being very sick

Seven things that would attract me to my spouse if I had one

1. Nice legs (the bandy thing)
2. Nice hands
3. Nice eyes
4. A nice smile
5. A good sense of humour
6. Being a ‘foodie’
7. Being loving and caring and thoughtful, especially in times of need

Seven things I say most often

1. Exactly
2. Well, quite
3. Cool
4. Rubbish
5. Thank you
6. Hang on…
7. (I’m a bit stuck now… this is the kind of thing that I don’t notice, but others will – any suggestions?)

Seven books (or series or authors) I love

1. Goodnight Mr Tom
2. John Grisham
3. Harry Potter
4. Tony Parsons
5. Catherine Alliot
6. Auto biographies and biographies, generally
7. Bridget Jones (I love the films, but the books are better)

Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over if I had the time - I’m expanding this to include TV series)

1. Four Weddings and a Funeral
2. Love Actually
3. The Lion King
4. Shawshank Redemption
5. This Life
6. Friends
7. Jonathon Creek

Seven people I want to join in, too

1. Tania
2. Rich
3. Naomi
4. The Midlander
5. Steve
6. Marty
7. Kev

When life goes on

I’ve been working on this post for some time, which is unusual for me, because usually I start up Blogger, write what I’m thinking down, spell check it, and that’s it (apart from when I’m drunk, when I usually miss the spellcheck out, but the magic ‘you can spell and be coherent when you’re drunk’ fairy seems to sort it out anyway!)

I often ponder how different people cope with the challenges that life throws at them. Some just get on with it, some crumble, some get very bitter, some become hysterical or come to rely on drink or drugs. I can’t work out what distinguishes which way each person will go. I also can’t work out how some people are consistently ‘copers’ and some are not.

I’ve faced a reasonable amount of times where I’ve needed to ‘just cope’ in my life, particularly recently but also in various phases, especially in my teens. I think there is something about your natural outlook and make up which makes you resilient (or not) to the little, and rather more than little, challenges.

I’m a coper… but I do wobble. And how do I cope with the wobbles? How do I cope with coping? Maybe I’m too inclined to rely on a drop of the hard stuff at the moment – but this wasn’t always the way. And I seek comfort in the fact that the hard stuff is always accompanied by good company. I’m naturally a fairly closed person. It takes a lot to get out of me how I really feel about something. I’m bubbly, bouncy and generally not fazed by much. I’m more or less unflappable in a crisis. You really have to push me to get me angry, upset or emotional. But doesn’t that mean that all those feelings, which naturally exist, are therefore suppressed inside me?

I've pickled my liver

This is in tribute to Kelly, Sarah and Verity, who I’ve spent a wonderful evening with, but they’ve been moaning that they can’t spend enough time with me in the future because I’m booked every Saturday night in January so far (and most of the rest of December is written off with various Christmas parties).

This is bad. But it’s also good. I’ve spent a reasonable amount of time recently thinking about me, who I am, the challenges I face and the things I enjoy, and what I want for the future (partly fuelled by “20 Something, 20 Everything – a Quarter-Life Woman’s Guide to Balance and Direction” – and yes, I know it sounds like clap-trap, but it’s actually really good). My Dad says I always face challenges head on, and he’s right. I love being challenged. But I also love the support, companionship and understanding of my friends. I mean friends in the widest sense. I have some wonderful people in my life, and I frequently ponder that I am so very lucky to have them. Part of the reason that I’m “booked up” until February is because I have lots of different groups of friends, and I really love that. You all give me a different perspective on my life - those who read my blog and those who don’t; those who I work with and those I don’t; those who knew me at school and those who didn’t; those who knew me at uni and those who didn’t; those who have only ever seen me existing on the precipice of drunkenness that I currently occupy, and those who knew me in my more sober, less hedonistic days…. Those who are now reading this and thinking “Hang on, it’s Tuesday. She’s drunk again. Oh dear”

Three gloopy sauces, two hot dogs and a partridge in a pear tree

Sing it and it'll make sense.

How did it get to be the 1st of December already, that's what I want to know!

Anyway, fab Moeker gig tonight... Marty - thank you for the song dedication to me, Tania and Rich (and Pete and Helen in their absence). It really was appreciated. I've had a rubbish day and a Moeker gig is always a great chance to have a laugh and feel a bit normal again. AND I didn't fall down the stairs this time, although the cheering and cajoling was nearly as embarrassing as the falling was last time!

Although, I have an odd feeling of contrast from the last time I walked home from a Moeker gig and then blogged (check out my "Gig... It's all good" post from Friday 2 September in the September archive as I can't get a link to it to work right). Mainly because it was summer then and I was more carefree.

And now it's winter and I'm stressed... and I have to be up in 5 hours. Wicked.

Tania, Rich, Steve and Sally - you're stars. Thank you.

Some pics from tonight here.

D-r-o-w-n-i-n-g

Today I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of paper, work, complications and confusions. It was predictable that this week would be a difficult one. Still, I'm getting good support from those who should be supporting me so I'm happy with that.

I'm also happy with my new flatscreen, although the colour is slightly odd.

And I'm also happy with this. As I'm a bit lacking in inspiration to come up with anything funny, I thought I'd link to this, as it made me laugh out loud - thank you Tania - although of course I'm not laughing at your pain!

Sleep

Today I had the best sleep in ever. I didn't get up until 2pm. It would be fair to say that the earplugs I was wearing helped, but the sleep was clearly much needed. But, now I'm drunk again, no surprise there then.

I'm also massively scared about the week ahead. I just hope that by this time next week (when incidentally I'll be in Brussels) I can look back on the week (I'll no doubt be drunk by then too) and be happy.

I love you, you're Lewisham, now change

Lewisham. Much as I love you (but only for your reasonable amount of shops and short walk to Blackheath) you're not where I want to be at 11.30 on a Thursday night. But, love you I did for ten minutes after falling asleep on the DLR and ending up with you instead of Mudchute or Island Gardens. Either would have done nicely. Why didn't they have the courtesy to wake me up when I was with them? I'm going to have to have words with them.

I'm now so cold that I'm nearly crying. But hey, I have to be up in 5 hours. Doesn't that rock. Not. I'd rather be in Lewisham.

Although actually I'd rather be in Rome. I never came back to post more about it. Enough to say that I had the most wonderful time, and cemented some wonderful friendships, and I really want to go back there sometime. Rome - you treated us well and we will be back. This time maybe I won't have quite so many accidents!

Viva Roma

More about Rome soon, but just time to say - it treated us very well, we had a fab time, lots of laughs, and took lots of pics, some of which are here, some of which need tweaking, and some of which probably won't ever make it past my camera and in to public view. More will arrive there soon.

Tania, Marty, Helen and Pete - thank you

The case of the mysterious missing comments

I owe those of you who have posted comments on here recently an apology - for some reason unknown to me, the 'moderate comments' option had been turned on, and I only stumbled across the 7 comments waiting for my authorisation by accident this evening! So, I've published them all now! There was me thinking no one loves me and that no one is reading my random ramblings and rantings anymore... ;-(

Anyway, I think I've changed the settings back now, so feel free to comment willy nilly.

Today I have three things in my head:

1) Far far too much information about the job I was doing until two weeks ago, the job I'm doing now, and the job I'm about to start

2) A lovely tale about the Mancunian taxi driver who drove me home last night, after I left work at 11.30. Turns out he might know my Dad! Small world eh.

and

3) A rant. The garage where I have put my car in for an MOT and service are blatantly trying to rob me. They are being paid a handsome amount to do the service and MOT, and then they had the cheek (this is only one example) to tell me today that they were going to charge me an extra £50 for investigating why my windscreen washers weren't working, on top of the cost of the part which needs replacing to get them to work to get it through the MOT. DON'T FRICKING THINK SO!! I might be a blonde(ish) woman but I'm not bleedin stupid you idiots!! I think I've put them in their place. They'll learn not to mess with the Griffiths if they give me any more crap when I pick up the car tomorrow.... Grrrrr.

I got the boots

Well, I got two pairs of boots actually. Which is one more than I really needed. Bit like how I didn't really need two new tops, a pair of pj's, a pair of jeans, a scarf, a bag, a belt and a coat, nor did I really need a nice expensive dinner from Marks and Spencer.

Still, I feel better for it, and the mammoth shopping trip which resulted in acquiring all of this was very successful given it took place at lunchtime and in one hour after work! The only slightly distressing thing was that I had to go to three different branches of Next to get the coat I wanted... I was extremely distressed by the time I got to the last one and found they didn't have the right size. However, I thought I would be astute and have one last check to make sure there wasn't one on the wrong hanger or something, and, sure enough, there it was!

The point of that little tale is that it led me to reflect on how something so simple and seemingly insignificant can have a massive impact on your mood. I wasn't expecting to get it, and then I really wanted it, and then I found it and was elated. Just goes to show that good things can happen when you least expect them to...

I was so happy once I'd tried it on that I even found myself singing along (quietly of course) to the Christmas songs in the shop, despite being a firm believer that things Christmasy should not be present anywhere until at least 1st December.

On a slightly different note, having realised that 6 out of 7 posts this month so far have been alcohol related, I thought I'd mention that I'm not drinking this week (except I had a glass of champagne last night, but that doesn't count). That is until we get to Rome...

two and a half

It has, in the words of another, been a crazy week. And, like Marty, I can't post about a lot of it on here. However, the headline news is that I've been promoted, and, although it was a gruelling process, I'm well chuffed, and everyone else seems to be too, including those who matter!

Had a fantastic night celebrating and catching up with old uni and college friends. The hangover was evil though. I love the work hard - play hard ethic! I am however very much appreciating a Sunday in the house pottering around right now though!

To all those who have wished me luck and supported me in various different ways this week - thank you. I really do appreciate it.

And expect champagne and merriment once the pay rise comes through!

I'm just going to leave you with two pictures:

Yeah baby!

I've had some fantastic nights out "just because it's Wednesday" in the past, right back to when I was at school. I'm not sure why this is, it might be because I hate Thursdays. Anyway, you can see the repercussions of tonight here.

But before you go there, check out this:



which I think is a cool pic - good macro setting on camera...

and this,



which Na and I think is a hilarious photo, but I suspect others won't quite see why!

More later on in the week...

Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps

Except in my world it's five pints of lager and a packet and a half of crisps.

Hic.

Still, finally managed to spend tonight catching up with KWTNH. Anyone who is still wondering who he is can email me to find out and I'll tell you, but I'm not going into it on here. But my god he makes me laugh! And he's a great mentor type person. He's frank and a bit harsh at times, but he cuts to the chase, and he's got to know me very well over a relatively short period of time. Funny how that happens.

I'm glad to have lots of great and wonderful mates, but they more or less fall in to completely different groups, and I really enjoy that. It gives me lots of different perspectives. Some might say it gives me more than the average amount of opportunities to go out drinking too...

Fireworks

Again, I've got so much going round in my head that I could probably get a whole long page filler of a post out - but I'm not going to.

I am going to leave you with some fireworks pictures though:







From the very good display at Blackheath last night. I have, again, had an excellent weekend. Best of luck to Pete and Helen in their new flat. And Na - the raspberry daquiri went straight to my head, but it did the trick. Thank you.

PS - there's more photos on my Flickr site.

Full

I've got a whole head full of thoughts that I can't quite marshal in to a logical and reasonable blog entry, and as I've already excelled myself with one extra special completely non-sensical blog entry this month (and it's only the 4th!), I think I'd better restrain myself!

I am however going to comment on the fantasticness of risotto. As I had another unexpected evening at home last night (KWTNH again, but he's got a good excuse), I cooked my most favourite dish ever, risotto with herbs and goats cheese (those of you who know my cooking/eating habits will know that my 'most favourite dish ever' has a habit of changing, but this is it for now!). Given that I am incapable of cooking a reasonable amount for one, I usually end up with left overs. Which I've just scoffed this evening, as a very satisfactory post-wine/champagne snack.

The best thing about risotto (which outweighs by far the 30 mins preparation and stirring that it takes) is that you get a whole bowl full of carbohydrate rich creamy comfort food - but with no cream actually involved and therefore not many calories. Wicked. You've got to be happy with that.

Sense

Um. Well. That didn't make sense did it!

Hopefully the person to whom the last paragraph was addressed has seen it and taken note. I did toy with the idea of editing the post, or removing it completely, but have decided to leave it there. Some of you thought I was being morose, some thought enigmatic. I think 'drunk'. And maybe a bit too thoughtful for my own good.

Anyway, I've improved a crap day at work with two of my favourite things this evening:

1) Shopping. I went in to Dorothy Perkins to look for boots... and came out with a skirt, a cardigan, a necklace and a pair of earrings. And no boots. Ah well

2) Chocolate. The Marks and Sparks melting chocolate pudding things. Need I say more.

Do you?

I've had the kind of evening that makes you realise things about yourself that you didn't previously realise. There is a high chance that this isn't going to make sense to some of you, mainly because I'm suffering from a poor Stella vs food ratio. Still, enough of you will be able to make sense of it to make it worth posting, and those of you who can't make sense of it can have fun trying!

It's like when you're convinced that you don't want something, so convinced that you can ignore what others are saying to you, but then you suddenly (even though it's maybe more than a year later) realise that maybe they are right.

The key thing this has taught me is that sometimes your friends can know you better than you know yourself. And that is the sign of a true friend, that they can be patient with you when they know they are right, but that they also know it's going to take you some time to realise it. Thank you. I love you :-)